COAL COUNTRY is a dramatic look at modern coal mining. We get to know working
miners along with activists who are battling coal companies in Appalachia. We hear from
miners and coal company officials, who are concerned about jobs and the economy and
believe they are acting responsibly in bringing power to the American people. Both sides
in this conflict claim that history is on their side. Both miners and local activists have roots in the region that go back many generations. Most have ancestors who worked in the mines. Everyone shares a deep love for the land, but Mountain Top Removal mining, which has leveled over 500 Appalachian mountains, is tearing them apart. We need to understand the meaning behind promises of “cheap energy” and “clean coal.” Are they achievable? At what cost? Are there alternatives for our energy future?

COAL COUNTRY
Executive Producer: Mari-Lynn Evans
Written, Produced and Directed by Phylis Geller